BBC - Religions - Hinduism: Shiva Religions Article about Shiva, the third god in the Hindu triumvirate. On this page Print this page Who is Shiva? Shiva is the third god in the Hindu triumvirate. The triumvirate consists of three gods who are responsible for the creation, upkeep and destruction of the world. The other two gods are Brahma and Vishnu . Brahma is the creator of the universe while Vishnu is the preserver of it. Shiva's role is to destroy the universe in order to re-create it. Hindus believe his powers of destruction and recreation are used even now to destroy the illusions and imperfections of this world, paving the way for beneficial change. According to Hindu belief, this destruction is not arbitrary, but constructive. Shiva is therefore seen as the source of both good and evil and is regarded as the one who combines many contradictory elements. Shiva is known to have untamed passion, which leads him to extremes in behaviour. Sometimes he is an ascetic, abstaining from all wordly pleasures. At others he is a hedonist. It is Shiva's relationship with his wife, Parvati which brings him balance.

Their union allows him to be an ascetic and a lover, but within the bounds of marriage. Hindus who worship Shiva as their primary god are members of the Shaivism sect. What does Shiva look like? Shiva © In his representations as a man, Shiva always has a blue face and throat. Strictly speaking his body is white, but images often show him with a blue body too. Shiva is represented with the following features: A third eye The extra eye represents the wisdom and insight that Shiva has. It is also believed to be the source of his untamed energy. On one occasion, when Shiva was distracted in the midst of worship by the love god, Kama, Shiva opened his third eye in anger. Kama was consumed by the fire that poured forth, and only returned to life when Parvati intervened. A cobra necklace This signifies Shiva's power over the most dangerous creatures in the world. Some traditions also say that the snake represents Shiva's power of destruction and recreation. The snake sheds its skin to make way for new, smooth skin. The vibhuti The vibhuti are three lines drawn horizontally across the forehead in white ash.

They represent Shiva's all-pervading nature, his superhuman power and wealth. Also, they cover up his powerful third eye. Members of Shaivism often draw vibhuti lines across their forehead. The trident The three-pronged trident represents the three functions of the Hindu triumvirate. While other gods are depicted in lavish surroundings, Shiva is dressed in simple animal skin and in austere settings, usually in a yogic position. Parvati, whenever she is present, is always at the side of Shiva. Their relationship is one of equality. Even though Shiva is the destroyer, he is usually represented as smiling and tranquil. Other representations Shiva is sometimes represented as half man, half woman. His figure is split half way down the body, one half showing his body and the second half that of Parvati's. Shiva is also represented by Shiva linga. This is a phallic statue, representing the raw power of Shiva and his masculinity. Hindus believe it represents the seed of the universe, demonstrating Shiva's quality of creation.

Worshippers of Shiva celebrate Mahashivratri , a festival at which the Shiva linga is bathed in water, milk and honey and worshipped. Who is he linked with? Shiva's consort is Devi, the Mother-goddess. Devi has taken on many forms in the past, including Kali, the goddess of death, and Sati, the goddess of marital felicity. Her best known incarnation is Parvati, Shiva's eternal wife. Hindus believe Shiva and Parvati live in the Kailash mountains in the Himalayas. Lord of the dance Dance is an important art form in India, and Shiva is believed to be the master of it. He is often called the Lord of Dance. The rhythm of dance is a metaphor for the balance in the universe which Shiva is believed to hold so masterfully. His most important dance is the Tandav. This is the cosmic dance of death, which he performs at the end of an age, to destroy the universe. According to one Hindu legend, Shiva almost signalled the end of this universe by performing this dangerous dance before its time. This is the story.

One day, the father of the goddess Sati decided to hold a prayer ceremony. At this prayer ceremony, all the gods would be invited and offerings would be made to them. But Shiva had married Sati against the wishes of her father and he was not invited. Sati was deeply offended on behalf of her husband. In anger, Sati prayed intensely and jumped into the sacred fire that was burning on the day of the ceremony. During this time, Shiva had been in the midst of deep meditation. But when Sati jumped into the fire, he awoke in great anger, realising what his wife had done. The story becomes less certain at this point, but it is believed that Shiva started the cosmic dance of death. The whole universe was about to be destroyed before it was time. The gods who were present at the prayer ceremony were very concerned. In order to pacify him, they scattered the ashes of Sati over him. This did the trick. He calmed down and did not complete the dance. But he went into meditation for many years, deeply upset over the death of his wife, ignoring all his godly duties.

It was not until Sati was reborn as Parvati that Shiva finally came out of meditation. Through her love and patience, she taught him about family life and the importance of moderation. Shiva and Parvati are held up as the perfect example of marital bliss by many Hindus, and one is rarely depicted without the other. Spirituality, Hinduism, Shiva, God of Destruction Many Paths to One God Shiva God of Destruction Love of Siva's feet eradicates bad karma. Love of Siva's feet grants you the clarity of mind. Love of Siva's feet imbues the heart with gladness. Love of Siva's feet is consciousness itself. -- Natchintanai All this universe is in the glory of God, of Siva, the God of Love. The heads and faces of men are His own, and He is in the hearts of all. -- Yajur Veda Shiva literally means "auspiciousness, welfare". He is the third god of the Hindu Trinity. Shiva represents darkness. He is often portrayed as an "angry god" and the god of destruction. Often Lord Shiva destroys negative presences such as evil, ignorance, and death.

Shiva holds a complementary role to Brahma, the god of creation. Shiva protects souls until they are ready for recreation at the hands of Brahma. Creation follows destruction. Therefore Shiva is also regarded as a reproductive power, which restores what has been dissolved. As one who restores, he is represented as the linga or phallus, a symbol of regeneration. Because of his connections with destruction, Lord Shiva is one of the most feared and heavily worshipped deities in Hinduism. The snakes coiled at different places of Lord Shiva's body have names. The serpents coiled at His ears are named Padma and Pingala. The serpents coiled at His armlets are named Kambala and Dhananjaya. The serpents at right and left wrists are named asvatara and taksaka. The serpent at his waist is called Nila. --- Vamana Purana. Shiva has a 1,008 names and a thousand faces. His names include Mahadeva (the great god), Mahesh, Rudra, Neelkantha (the blue-throated one), and Ishwar (the supreme god).

He is also called Mahayogi, or the great ascetic, who symbolises the highest form of austere penance and abstract meditation, which results in salvation. Shiva has eight forms: Rudra, Sharva, Bhava, Ugra, Bhima, Pashupati, Ishana, and Mahadeva, which, according to the Shiva Purana, correspond to the earth, water, fire, wind, sky, a yogi called Kshetragya, the sun, and the moon respectively. Shiva lives on Mount Kailas. Sometimes he rides a bull with his wife Parvati. Shiva's many-formed wife is the graceful Uma, Parvati, the fierce Durga or the blood-thirsty Kali. Her sons are Karttikeya, the warrior, and the gentle Ganesha, whose helper is a rat. He who is without beginning and without end, in the midst of confusion, the Creator of all, of manifold form, the One embracer of the universe... by knowing Him, one is released from all fetters. Shiva is the essence of the Vedas, and the source of the Word. He is the first among the gods of this world.

He is inextricably woven into all that the eye can see. Nataraja - The Lord of Dance Shiva is the creator of dance. He has uttered the first 16 rhythmic syllables ever uttered, from which the Sanskrit language was born. Shiva's dance of anger is called the Roudra Tandava and his dance of joy, the Ananda Tandava. Shiva dances the dance of creation, the dance of destruction, the dance of solace and liberation. Beneath his left foot ignorance is crushed; from his head springs the life-giving waters. It may appear strange for the god of destruction to perform the dance of creation. Remember that the world of maya is one of opposites. The death for devout Hindus is nearly synonymous with rebirth, so when one dies another one is created. Thus, Shiva is not only a destroyer but also a creator. The rhythm he dances to is that of a world perpetually forming, dissolving and re-forming. His are the flames, the moon, the drum, and the lotus. His mount is the white bull, and the tiger has given its skin to gird his loins.

Serpents coil about his limbs, and from his right hand flows the promise of release. Maha Shivaratri Maha Shivaratri, Shiva's great spiritual night, is traditionally devoted to Paramashiva (Shiva the Supreme, God). Shiva's devotees consider this night to be the holiest night of the whole year. The Maha Shivaratri night falls on the night previous to the new moon night, in the February or March - in the Phalguna month in the Hindu calendar. The devotees fast the previous day and stay awake, in sharp and devoted meditation all night. Those of the devotees who have not been yet initiated in the secret mantras of Shiva, meditate also, uttering uninterruptedly and transfigured the name of Shiva, or they sing hymns of devotion for His name. They also adore the Shiva Lingam, the phallic symbol of Shiva. Maha Shivaratri is considered especially auspicious for women. Married women pray for the well-being of their husbands and sons. Unmarried women pray for the appearance of their ideal husband. Shiva is said to have been married to Parvati on Sivaratri.

Hindus believe that any person uttering Shiva's name with pure and ardent devotion on Mahashivaratri will be freed from all sins and will reach the adobe of Shiva, freed from the cycle of birth and death. Saktism The cult of Sakti or the mother aspect of Godhead had its roots in the Vedas. The Rg-Veda describes Sakti as the embodiment of power and the upholder of the universe. Sakti is represented as the sister of Krsna and the wife of Siva. She is worshipped as Devi, who is one with Brahman. The literature of Saktism, called the Tantra, gives a high place to women and reacts strongly against caste distinctions. According to the doctrines of the Sakta cult (embodied in 77 Agamas), Siva or the supreme entity is impersonal and beyond activity. Sankara in his Saundarya1ahari declares: "Siva is able to function when united with Sakti; otherwise he is inert." A variant of the Saivite philosophy, which developed in Kashmir, is known as the Pratyabhijna system. Here, as Dr.

Radhakrishnan says, Siva is the subject as well as the object, the experiencer as well as the experienced. "As the consciousness on which all this resultant world is established, whence it issues, is free in its nature, it cannot be restricted anywhere. As it moves in the differentiated states of waking, sleeping, etc., identifying itself with them, it never falls from its true nature as the knower." Excepted From: Hinduism by Dr. C.P.Ramaswami Aiyar, et.al., The Gazetteer of India, Volume 1, Publications Div., Government of India, 1965. Kali - Ancient History Encyclopedia Kali by Mark Cartwright published on 21 June 2013 Kali is the Hindu goddess (or Devi ) of death, time, and doomsday and is often associated with sexuality and violence but is also considered a strong mother-figure and symbolic of motherly-love. Kali also embodies shakti - feminine energy, creativity and fertility - and is an incarnation of Parvati, wife of the great Hindu god Shiva .

She is most often represented in art as a fearful fighting figure with a necklace of heads, skirt of arms, lolling tongue, and brandishing a knife dripping with blood. Name & Worship Kali’s name derives from the Sanskrit meaning ‘she who is black’ or ‘she who is death’, but she is also known as Chaturbhuja Kali, Chinnamastā, or Kaushika. As an embodiment of time Kali devours all things, she is irresistibly attractive to mortals and gods, and can also represent (particularly in later traditions) the benevolence of a mother goddess. Advertisement Kali’s name derives from the Sanskrit meaning ‘she who is black’ or ‘she who is death’. The goddess is particularly worshipped in eastern and southern India and specifically in Assam, Kerala, Kashmir, Bengal, - where she is now worshipped in the yearly festival of Kali Puja held on the night of a new moon - and in the Kalighat Temple in the city of Calcutta. Kali’s Birth There are several traditions of how Kali came into existence.

One version relates when the warrior goddess Durga, who had ten arms each carrying a weapon and who rode a lion or tiger in battle , fought with Mahishasura (or Mahisa), the buffalo demon. Durga became so enraged that her anger burst from her forehead in the form of Kali. Once born, the black goddess went wild and ate all the demons she came across, stringing their heads on a chain which she wore around her neck. It seemed impossible to calm Kali’s bloody attacks, which now extended to any wrongdoers, and both people and gods were at a loss what to do. Fortunately, the mighty Shiva stopped Kali’s destructive rampage by lying down in her path, and when the goddess realised just who she was standing on, she finally calmed down. From this story is explained Kali’s association with battlegrounds and areas where cremation is carried out. In another version of the goddess’ birth, Kali appeared when Parvati shed her dark skin which then became Kali, hence one of her names is Kaushika (the Sheath), whilst Parvati is left as Gauri (the Fair One).

This story emphasises Kali’s blackness which is symbolic of eternal darkness and which has the potential to both destroy and create. Remove Ads Advertisement In a third version, men and gods were being terrorised by Daruka who could only be killed by a woman, and Parvati was asked by the gods to deal with the troublesome demon. She responded by jumping down Shiva’s throat. This was because many years previously Shiva had swallowed halahala, the poison which had risen from the churning of the ocean during the creation and which had threatened to pollute the world. By combining with the poison still held in Shiva’s throat, Parvati was transformed into Kali. Leaping from Shiva’s throat in her new guise, Kali swiftly despatched Daruka and all was well with the world once more. Kali & Raktabija Finally, in yet another version of Kali’s birth, there is the story of the terrible demon Raktabija (Blood-seed). This demon was, like most demons, causing a great deal of trouble with people and gods alike but even worse was his ability to produce more demons every time a drop of his blood spilt to the ground.

Therefore, each time Raktabija was attacked, the only result was more demons to deal with. The gods decided to work together and combine all of their shakti or divine energy and produce one super being that could destroy Raktabija; the result was Kali (in another version only Durga produces Kali). Given all the divine weapons of the gods, Kali swiftly sought out Raktabija and his demons and proceeded to swallow them all whole so as not to spill anymore blood in the process. Raktabija himself was killed when Kali lopped off his head with a sword and then drank all of his blood, making sure none fell to the ground and thereby ensuring no more demons could menace the world. BBC - Religions - Hinduism: Beliefs Religions Beliefs Last updated 2003-07-31 Hindus recognise one God, Brahman, the eternal origin who is the cause and foundation of all existence. On this page Brahman God or gods? Contrary to popular understanding, Hindus recognise one God, Brahman, the eternal origin who is the cause and foundation of all existence. The gods of the Hindu faith represent different expressions of Brahman.

Different Hindu communities may have their own divinities whom they worship, but these are simply different ways of approaching the Ultimate. Hindus recognise three principal gods: Brahma, who creates the universe Vishnu, who preserves the universe Shiva, who destroys the universe. Brahma Brahma is the Creator. However, Brahma is not worshipped in the same way as other gods because it is believed that his work - that of creation - has been done. Hindus worship other expressions of Brahman (not Brahma), which take a variety of forms. Hindus are often classified into three groups according to which form of Brahman they worship: Those who worship Vishnu (the preserver) and Vishnu's important incarnations Rama, Krishna and Narasimha; Those who worship Shiva (the destroyer) Those who worship the Mother Goddess, Shakti, also called Parvati, Mahalakshmi, Durga or Kali. Vishnu, Shiva and other deities Vishnu Vishnu, the preserver, is believed to be linked to a very early sun god and is considered by his worshippers to be the greatest among the gods. He is also referred to as Narayana.

Vishnu preserves and protects the universe and has appeared on the earth through his avatars (incarnations) to save humankind from natural disasters or from tyranny. The most well-known avatars are Rama (see Ramayana), Krishna, who destroyed the wicked and established a new order, Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, and Kalki. Vishnu is represented in sculpture and painting in human form, often painted blue. Lakshmi is the consort of Vishnu who has appeared as the wife of each of Vishnu's incarnations, including Sita, wife of Prince Rama, and Rukmini, wife of Krishna. She is the goddess of wealth and good fortune who is offered special worship during the Divali festival. Shiva is the source of both good and evil © Shiva The god Shiva is part of the Hindu Trinity, along with Vishnu and Brahma. He is considered to be everything by those who worship him: creator, preserver and destroyer. In Shiva, the opposites meet. Shiva the destroyer is a necessary part of the trinity because, without destruction, there can be no recreation.

His city is Varanasi, and any Hindu who dies there is believed to go straight to heaven. Shiva is the source of both good and evil who combines many contradictory elements. In pictures and sculptures, Shiva is represented as Lord of the Dance who controls the movement of the universe. He is also associated with fertility. Shiva has many consorts, including Kali, often portrayed as wild and violent, Parvati, reknowned for her gentleness, and Durga, a powerful goddess created from the combined forces of the anger of several gods. The Great Goddess (Mahadevi) The great Goddess appears as a consort of the principal male gods and encompasses the thousands of local goddesses or matas. These can be both beautiful and benign, like Lakshmi, or all-powerful destructive forces like Kali. Great Goddess shrines are associated with agriculture and fertility and the female energy, or shakti, is important in ancient texts known collectively as the Tantras. Shakti is contrasted with Shiva, whose masculine consciousness is powerless without the creative female energy. Other Vedic gods Indra, the god of storms. Indra was once the Vedic king of all gods but has, over time, lost some influence.

Indra's main function is in leading the warriors (see caste system). Indra fights not only human enemies, but also demons. Agni is the Vedic god of fire. He is one of the supreme gods of the Rig Veda. Agni is believed to take the offerings to the other world through fire. Agni is represented by the ram. Varuna is the third Vedic god whose influence persists today. Varuna presides over the orderliness of the universe. Varuna rules over the night sky. Varuna is believed to know everything. Varuna is the god of truth and moral judgements. Varuna knows the secrets of all hearts. Shiva Hindu God of Destruction, Husband of Parvati Click here to view all our powerful Shiva Statues Shiva (Sanskrit: Auspicious One), or Siva, is one of the main Deities of Hinduism, worshiped as the paramount lord by the Saivite sects of India. Shiva is one of the most complex gods of India, embodying seemingly contradictory qualities. He is the destroyer and the restorer, the great ascetic and the symbol of sensuality, the benevolent herdsman of souls and the wrathful avenger.

Shiva was originally known as Rudra, a minor deity addressed only three times in the Rig Veda. He gained importance after absorbing some of the characteristics of an earlier fertility god and became Shiva, part of the trinity, or trimurti, with Vishnu and Brahma. The Cult of Shiva Click here to view all our powerful Shiva Statues Shaivism, or Saivism, is one of the most popular Hindu cults. It embraces many theological practices, although all agree on three principles: pati. or God; pasu, or individual soul; and pasa, or bonds that confine the soul to earthly existence. The aim of Shaivites is to rid their souls of bondage and achieve shivata, the "nature of Shiva". They achieve this through ascetic practices and penances, with an emphasis on yoga and renunciation. Many Shaivites become wandering sadhus, or hold men. Shiavites mark their foreheads with three horizontal marks representing the three aspects of Shiva.

"Shiva often wears a snake coiled around his upper arms and neck symbolizing the power he has over the most deadly of creatures." Shiva often wears a snake coiled around his upper arms and neck symbolizing the power he has over the most deadly of creatures. Snakes are also used to symbolize the Hindu dogma of reincarnation. Their natural process of molting or shedding their skin is symbolic of the human souls transmigration of bodies from one life to another. Thiruvalangadu, north of Madras, is associated with the dance contest between Shiva and his consort in the form of Kali. According to legend, Shiva danced vigorously, and to subdue Kali, threw up his leg in the rhythm of the dance. Being a lady, Kali could not repeat this feat and stood dismayed. This dance and the subjugation of Kali, are described in the hymns of the female saint-poet Karaikkal Ammai. Shiva's female consort and wife is Parvati; because of his generosity and reverence towards Parvati, Shiva is considered an ideal role model for a husband.

The divine couple together with their sons - the six-headed Skanda and the elephant headed Shiva - reside on Mount Kailasa in the Himalayas. Shiva often holds a trident, which represents the Hindu trinity of Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu. It is also said to represent the threefold qualities of nature: creation, preservation and destruction, although preservation is usually attributed to Vishnu. As the destroyer Shiva is dark and terrible, encircled with serpents and a crown of skulls. Shiva wears sacred Rudraksha beads, perhaps a reference to his earlier name Rudra. The crescent moon Shiva wears on his crown, besides being a symbol of Kama the goddess of nightly love, also represents the bull, Nandi, a fertility symbol. "Shiva holds a skull that represents samsara, the cycle of life, death and rebirth." Shiva holds a skull that represents samsara, the cycle of life, death and rebirth. Samsara is a central belief in Hinduism. Shiva himself also represents this complete cycle because he is Mahakala the Lord of Time, destroying and creating all things.

His guardian is Nandi (the white bull), whose statue can often be seen watching over the main shrine. The bull is said to embody sexual energy, fertility. Riding on its back, Shiva is in control of these impulses. Shiva is represented in a variety of forms. One such form is as a lingam. The ovoid shape is a representation of the absolute perfection of Lord Shiva - if that which is beyond form had to be given form, the lingam would be the closest form to the mystical experience of the absolute perfection of Shiva. The Story of the Shiva Lingam Click here to view all our powerful Shiva Statues Shiva saw not sense in the transitory pleasures of life, so he rejected samsara, smeared his body with ash, closed his eyes and performed austerities. Shiva's tapas generated so much heat that his body transformed into a pillar of fire - a blazing lingam that threatened to destroy the whole world. The gods did not know how to control Shiva's fire. Suddenly there appeared a yoni - the divine vessel of the mother-goddess. It caught the fiery lingam and contained its heat, thus saving the cosmos from untimely destruction.

Shiva is often pictured in a pacific mood with his consort Parvati, as the cosmic dancer Nataraja, as a naked ascetic, as a mendicant beggar, as a yogi Dhakshinamurthy, and as the androgynous union of Shiva and Parvati in one body (Ardhanarisvara). Shiva also takes the form of Ardhanari, his androgynous form. The right side of the sculpture is Shiva and the left side is Parvati. The attributes of each are split directly down the middle. Another example of Shiva's apparent synthesis of male and female attributes is seen in his earrings. He often wears one earring in the style of a man and the other as a female.. Shiva is commonly depicted with a third eye. The third eye is a symbol of higher consciousness. It is also something with which he can destroy his enemies "with fire." He can also kill all the gods and other creatures during the periodic destruction of the universe. Shiva's third eye first appeared when Parvati, his wife, playfully covered his other two eyes, therefore plunging the world into darkness and putting it in danger of destruction.

Shiva: Hindu God of Destruction - The Buddha Garden Shiva: Hindu God of Destruction Shiva: Hindu God of Destruction Shiva is one of the most widely known and revered Hindu gods. Shiva is often worshipped as one member of the Holy Trinity of Hinduism, with the gods Brahma (the Creator) and Vishnu (the Protector) being the other deities. While Shiva doesn�t show up until late in the history of Hinduism , it is believed that He evolved from the earlier Hindu God Rudra, mentioned in the Rig Veda , and is normally associated with destruction. However, Shiva is also associated with reincarnation, since in Hinduism death is believed to be a necessary step for rebirth. But Shiva has different aspects that appear at different times. Shiva is often depicted as the destroyer, and will appear as a naked ascetic accompanied by demons, encircled with serpents and necklaces of skulls. Sometimes Shiva wanders into crematoriums, smears his body with ash and dances in the light of the funeral pyres, reminding all about the transitory nature of material things. Another common form is that of Dancing Shiva Nataraja . This is Shiva engaged in a cosmic dance.

It is believed that the energy from this dance sustains the cosmos, and when Shiva is finished with this dance, this universe will end and a new one will begin. Sometimes the creative force of Shiva is depicted, and in particular Shiva is represented by a phallus, known as the lingam. Other times Shiva is seen in statues as the god of meditation and asceticism. He will be depicted sitting cross-legged with his eyes half-closed. Shiva Meditation The God of Destruction Is also The God Of Yoga Price: $83.95 Shiva�s Family Ties One of the many complexities about the God Shiva is his role as a head of household. According to different sources, he has several wives, with the major Hindu Goddess Parvati being one of them, and the lesser Hindu Goddess Ganga being another. While the majority of stories detailing the Shiva�s romantic side deal primarily with his relationship with Parvati, he is also respected for his willingness to throw himself at the feet of another consort, the Goddess Kali in order to stop her blood thirsty rampage of destruction.

As for his offspring, One of his sons, Ganesh, is the elephant headed god of success who is recognized and worshipped nearly universally throughout Hindu India. Another son, Skanda, is worshipped primarily in Southern India. Shiva�s Symbols and Iconography Snakes are often associated with Shiva, since they are able to regenerate their skins by discarding their old ones. Likewise, in southern India, deer are associated with Shiva because their antlers re-grow after falling out. Shiva is also associated with the rainy season, as the monsoon rains transform the ground from dessert into fertile valley. Shiva rides upon his mount, Nandi the Bull, which is also worshipped by some groups as a deity in its own. As Rudra, Shiva is depicted with a Deer. As an ascetic, Lord Shiva may be depicted sitting upon a tiger pelt. Shiva is most commonly depicted with four arms.

Resin Shiva Is Indian dance influenced by the poses of the Gods and Goddesses?Price: $34.95 In the Dancing Shiva Nataraja form, the left leg is lifted slightly off the ground, and this rising up represents liberation (as in freedom from attachment, or liberation from samsara). The right leg is slightly bent and tramples upon a demon, representing the conquest over ignorance. A halo surrounds the King Of The Dance, and the flames in the halo represent Angi The God Of Fire . Another form is of Shiva and Parvati combined into one image, where the right side of the statue depicts Shiva, while the left hand side of the statue depicts his consort Parvati. This is referred to as a Shiva Shakti or a Hari Hara (Day and Night) statue, among other names. But Shiva is not always represented in anthropomorphic (human-like) form. One of the most common representations is that of a lingam � a stone phallic symbol � that is venerated in temples. This form is said to house the creative energy of the universe, and so during pooja (worship), milk is poured over the lingam to cool it.

Sometimes the lingam will have an image of Shiva�s face carved into the stone as well, and in at least one instance, there is a tall standing lingam with a representation of the entire body of Shiva carved into it. The Weapons of Shiva Many Hindu Gods and Goddesses carry weapons, and Shiva is often depicted carrying a trident, as the three tips of this weapon represent the creation, protection (or sustaining), and destruction of the universe. Because he is so closely associated with ascetics, who renounce the world in search of spiritual enlightenment, Shiva is often depicted carrying an ax, which is to symbolize the severing of ties to the material world. But undoubtedly Shiva�s most powerful weapon is his Third Eye in the middle of his forehead, which, when opened fully, can incinerate man, demon, or god. See Also: Shiva - ReligionFacts ReligionFacts Bowker, John (ed.) Shiva Shiva (or Siva) is one of the chief deities of Hinduism.

His name means "Auspicious One." Devotees of Shiva are called "Saivites." Shiva is known by many other names, including Sambhu ("Benignant"), Samkara ("Beneficent"), Pasupati ("Lord of Beasts"), Mahesa ("Great Lord") and Mahadeva ("Great God"). Shiva is a paradoxical deity: "both the destroyer and the restorer, the great ascetic and the symbol of sensuality, the benevolent herdsman of souls and the wrathful avenger." {1} In the most famous myth concerning Shiva, he saves humanity by holding in his throat the poison that churned up in the waters and threatened mankind. For this reason he is often depicted with a blue neck. History of Shiva and Shiva-Worship In the Vedas, shiva is an aspect of the god Rudra, not a separate god. However, a joint form Rudra-Shiva appears in early household rites, making Shiva one of the most ancient Hindu gods still worshipped today. By the 2nd century BCE, Rudra's significance began to wane and Shiva rose in popularity as a separate identity.

In the Ramayana, Shiva is a mighty and personal god, and in the Mahabharata he is the equal of Vishnu and worshipped by other gods. Shiva became associated with generation and destruction; sometimes fulfilling the role of Destroyer along with Vishnu (the Preserver) and Brahma (the Creator) and sometimes embodying all three roles within himself. In the Mahadeva image in the Elephanta caves (on an island off of Bombay), which dates to between the 5th and 7th centuries CE, Shiva is shown in his threefold form. This triple aspect of Shiva, which has become a dominant form, is rich with symbolism: The two faces on either side represent (apparent) opposites - male and female (ardhanari); terrifying destroyer (bhairava) and active giver of repose; mahayogi and grhasta - while the third, serene and peaceful, reconciles the two, the Supreme as the One who transcends all contradictions. {2} The three horizontal lines Saivites mark on their foreheads represent this threefold aspect of Shiva.

Shiva's Family and Associations Shiva's female consort is variously manifested as Uma, Sati, Parvati, Durga, Kali, and sometimes Shakti. Their sons are Skanda, the god of war, and the beloved elephant-headed Ganesh, remover of obstacles. Shiva is especially associated with the Ganges River, which flows through his hair in images, and Mount Kailasa in the Himalayas. Iconography and Symbolism of Shiva Shiva's symbols are the bull and the linga. The latter symbol is historically associated with the phallus, but is not generally perceived as such by worshipers. Other depictions of Shiva have his hair in matted locks and piled atop his head like an ascetic and adorned with the crescent moon and the Ganges River (according to legend, he broke the Ganga's fall to earth by allowing her to trickle through his hair). Shiva has a third eye, giving him the capability of inward vision but also burning destruction when focused outward. He is variously shown with two or four hands, which hold a deerskin, a trident, a small hand drum, or a club with a skull at the end.

One of the most popular representations of Shiva is as Nataraj, the cosmic dancer. He is also variously depicted as a naked ascetic, a beggar, a yogi, and the union of he and his female consort in one body. Shiva as Nataraja: The Cosmic Dancer Note: This section was written by Nitin Kumar of Exotic India. Reprinted here by permission. Shiva the Hindu god of destruction is also known as Nataraja, the Lord of Dancers (In Sanskrit, Nata means dance and raja means Lord). The visual image of Nataraja achieved canonical form in the bronzes cast under the Chola dynasty in the 10th century AD, and then continued to be reproduced in metal, stone and other substances right up to the present times. The Chola Nataraja is often said to be the supreme statement of Hindu art. There is an interesting legend behind the conception of Shiva as Nataraja. In a dense forest in South India, there dwelt multitudes of heretical sages. Thither proceeded Shiva to confute them, accompanied by Vishnu disguised as a beautiful woman.

The sages were at first led to violent dispute amongst themselves, but their anger was soon directed against Shiva, and they endeavored to destroy him by means of incantations. A fierce tiger was created in sacrificial fires, and rushed upon him; but smiling gently, he seized it and, with the nail of his little finger, stripped off its skin, and wrapped it about himself like a silken cloth. Undiscouraged by failure, the sages renewed their offerings, and produced a monstrous serpent, which however Shiva seized and wreathed about his neck like a garland. Then he began to dance; but there rushed upon him a last monster in the shape of a malignant dwarf. Upon him the god pressed the tip of his foot, and broke the creature’s back, so that it writhed upon the ground; and so, his last foe prostrate, Shiva resumed the dance. To understand the concept of Nataraja we have to understand the idea of dance itself. Like yoga, dance induces trance, ecstasy and the experience of the divine. In India consequently, dance has flourished side by side with the terrific austerities of the meditation grove (fasting, absolute introversion etc.).

Shiva, therefore, the arch-yogi of the gods, is necessarily also the master of the dance. Shiva Nataraja was first represented thus in a beautiful series of South Indian bronzes dating from the tenth and twelfth centuries A.D. In these images, Nataraja dances with his right foot supported by a crouching figure and his left foot elegantly raised. A cobra uncoils from his lower right forearm, and the crescent moon and a skull are on his crest. He dances within an arch of flames. This dance is called the Dance of Bliss (anandatandava). These iconographic details of Nataraja are to be read, according to the Hindu tradition, in terms of a complex pictorial allegory. The most common figures depict a four-armed Shiva. These multiple arms represent the four cardinal directions. Each hand either holds an object or makes a specific mudra (gesture). The upper right hand holds a hour-glass drum which is a symbol of creation. It is beating the pulse of the universe. The drum also provides the music that accompanies Shiva’s dance. It represents sound as the first element in an unfolding universe, for sound is the first and most pervasive of the elements.

The story goes that when Shiva granted the boon of wisdom to the ignorant Panini (the great Sanskrit grammarian), the sound of the drum encapsulated the whole of Sanskrit grammar. The first verse of Panini’s grammar is in fact called Shiva sutra. The hour-glass drum also represents the male and female vital principles; two triangles penetrate each other to form a hexagon. When they part, the universe also dissolves. The opposite hand, the upper left, bears on its palm a tongue of flames. Fire is the element of destruction of the world. According to Hindu mythology at the end of the world, it will be fire that will be the instrument of annihilation. Thus in the balance of these two hands is illustrated a counterpoise of creation and destruction. Sound against flames, ceaselessness of production against an insatiate appetite of extermination. The second right hand is held in the abhaya (literally "without fear") pose and so a gesture of protection, as an open palm is most likely to be interpreted. It depicts the god as a protector.

The left leg is raised towards the right leg and reaches across it; the lower left hand is stretched across the body and points to the upraised left foot which represents release from the cycle of birth and death. Interestingly, the hand pointing to the uplifted foot is held in a pose imitative of the outstretched trunk of an elephant. In Sanskrit this is known as the ’gaja-hasta-mudra’ (the posture of the elephant trunk), and is symbolic of Ganesha, Shiva’s son, the Remover of obstacles. Shiva dances on the body of a dwarf apasmara-purusha (the man of forgetfulness) who embodies indifference, ignorance and laziness. Creation, indeed all creative energy is possible only when the weight of inertia (the tamasic darkness of the universe) is overcome and suppressed. The Nataraja image thus addresses each individual to overcome complacency and get his or her own act together. The ring of fire and light, which circumscribes the entire image, identifies the field of the dance with the entire universe. The lotus pedestal on which the image rests locates this universe in the heart or consciousness of each person.

The Nataraja image is also eloquent of the paradox of Eternity and Time. It shows us that the reposeful ocean and the racing stream are not finally distinct. This wonderful lesson can be read in the significant contrast of the incessant, triumphant motion of the swaying limbs to the balance of the and the immobility of the mask-like countenance. Shiva is Kala, meaning time, but he is also Maha Kala, meaning “Great Time” or eternity. As Nataraja, King of dancers, his gestures, wild and full of grace, precipitate the cosmic illusion; his flying arms and legs and the swaying of his torso produce the continuous creation-destruction of the universe, death exactly balancing birth. The choreography is the whirligig of time. History and its ruins, the explosion of suns, are flashes from the tireless swinging sequence of the gestures. In the beautiful cast metal figurines, not merely a single phase or movement, but the entirety of this cosmic dance is miraculously rendered.

The cyclic rhythm, flowing on and on in the unstayable, irreversible round of the Mahayugas, or Great Eons, is marked by the beating and stamping of the Master’s heels. But the face remains, meanwhile in sovereign calm. Steeped in quietude, the enigmatic mask resides above the whirl of the four resilient arms and cares nothing forthe superb legs as they beat out the tempo of the world ages. Aloof, in sovereign silence, the mask of god’s eternal essence remains unaffected by the tremendous display of his own energy, the world and its progress, the flow and the changes of time. This head, this face, this mask, abides in transcendental isolation, as a spectator unconcerned. Its smile, bent inward, filled with the bliss of self-absorption, subtly refutes, with a scarcely hidden irony, the meaningful gestures of the feet and hands. A tension exists between the marvel of the dance and the serene tranquillity of this expressively inexpressive countenance, the tension, that is to say, of Eternity and Time. The two, invisible and visible, are quintessentially the same.

Man with all the fibers of his native personality clings to the duality; nevertheless, actually and finally, there is no duality. Another aspect of Nataraja rich in a similar symbolism is his lengthy and sensuous hair. The long tresses of his matted hair, usually piled up in a kind of pyramid, loosen during the triumphant, violent frenzy of his untiring dance. Expanding, they form two wings, to the right and left, a kind of halo, broadcasting, as it were, on their magic waves, the exuberance and sanctity of vegetative, sensuous life. Supra-normal life-energy, amounting to the power of magic, resides in such a wildness of hair untouched by the scissors. The conceptualization here is similar to the legend of Samson who with naked hands tore asunder the jaws of a lion. His strength was said to reside in his hair. Also central to understanding the symbolism behind Nataraja’s hair is the realization that much of womanly charm, the sensual appeal of the Eternal Feminine, is in the fragrance, the flow and luster of beautiful hair.

On the other hand, anyone renouncing the generative forces of the vegetable-animal realm, revolting against the procreative principle of life, sex, earth, and nature, and entering upon the spiritual path of absolute asceticism, has first to be shaved. He must simulate the sterility of an old man whose hairs have fallen and who no longer constitutes a link in the chain of generation. He must coldly sacrifice the foliage of the head. The tonsure of the Christian priest and monk is a sign of this renunciation of the flesh. (Clergymen of denominations in which marriage is not considered incompatible with the saintly office do not wear a tonsure.) These “Worthy Ones”, representing the victory of yoga-spirituality, have overcome all seduction by their taking of the monastic vows and following of the ascetic formula. With their voluntary baldness they have broken through to the peace beyond the seasons of growth and change. Thus by donning long, luxurious hair, Shiva dispels the notion of the conventional ascetic and reiterates that the image of Nataraja assimilates and harmonizes within itself apparently contradictory and conflicting aspects.

Shiva is thus two opposite things: archetypal ascetic and archetypal dancer. On the one hand he is total tranquillity-inward calm absorbed in itself, absorbed in the void of the Absolute, where all distinctions merge and dissolve, and all tensions are at rest. But on the other hand he is total activity- life’s energy, frantic, aimless and playful. The Nataraja image represents not simply some event in the mythic life of a local deity but a universal view in which the forces of nature and the aspirations and limitation of man confront each other and are blended together. The curator of the Indian collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art has rightly written that: "If one had to select a single icon to represent the extraordinarily rich and complex cultural heritage of India, the Shiva Nataraja might well be the most remunerative candidate." References "Shiva." Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions. "Siva." Oxford Concise Dictionary of World Religions (Oxford UP, 2000), p. 546. External Links on Shiva

Question: In the Hindu religion, who is the goddess of destruction and the wife of Siva?
Answer: KALI